STABLE LAUNCHES CRACK CHASERS: Colin Tizzard, who came to fame with Cue Card, risks his world-hurdler Thistlecrack over fences today before Cue Card’s reappearance on Saturday. Daqman checks them out, with both aimed at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
ARE HORSES WORTH FOLLOWING? Should you back Cue Card and Thistlecrack blind? Starting tomorrow, Daqman looks at horses to follow as a betting system, before presenting his own star turns for the season in the coming weeks.
CUE IN THE KINGS OF MILBORNE PORT
The biggest gamble landed: twice! Cue Card built Colin Tizzard’s state-of-the-art stables near Wincanton. Thistlecrack was its first cash cow.
The dairy farmer turned racehorse trainer had been plodding along for 14 years until Cue Card came along, changed his life and transformed the Milborne Port yard, with new stables paying for themselves again through the exploits of Thistlecrack. Two giant steps to the top of the profession.
But now here’s gamble number three. Thistlecrack, winner of five hurdles marathons in a row since last November, is headed for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, without jumping a single fence in public. Until today.
Then, on Saturday, Cue Card tries to prove he’s no back number, also marked down for gold, when he contests the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.
Thistlecrack (pictured) (3.35 Chepstow today): The bookies would have us believe that a Gold Cup gamble is already under way; he’s favourite for Cheltenham in March.
Thistlecrack is no young pretender. He’s even the old man of this small-field novice chase at Chepstow today. And will be nine next March.
Four nine-year-olds have won the Gold Cup since 2005 but all had massively more experience over fences, in very similar careers.
Kauto Star had raced in 10 chases over 30 months; Imperial Commander 9 chases in 29 months; Synchornised 9 chases in 28 months; Don Cossack 11 chases over 29 months.
Thistlecrack certainly has a fabulous engine. Launched at graded level last year, the big hurdles at Ascot, Cheltenham and Aintree would all fall under his spell.
But ‘fall’ is a word connections don’t want to hear. They’ve heard it before, used in the same sentence as the stable’s first powerhouse, Cue Card.
Cue Card (Charlie Hall Chase, Wetherby, Saturday): Success in the 2013 Ryanair at Cheltenham was the cue to an ace career but Tizzard’s inexperience at the top saw Cue Card struggle through the next two years.
Not until this very Charlie Hall Chase a year ago did horse and trainer find the mixture that fired the engine to four consecutive star chases, still standing.
‘Still standing’; is the rider to this because, between the Lancashire Chase and the Aintree Bowl, Cue Card was the joker in the Cheltenham Gold Cup pack.
Raising his game still further, and going like the winner three out, he fell and – as so often at the festival – the Irish won it, landing a 1-2-3, with the pride of England and Milborne Port dropping anchor at a crucial moment in his career at the age of 10.
So the big questions are asked in the space of five days this week: can Cue Card get back on the gold trail? Or will he hand the baton to the fledgling jumper Thistlecrack?
KING THROWS LIGHT ON HIS NOVICES
1.30 Chepstow While all eyes are on Thistlecrack, there are one or two in this race which could have big futures.
Alan King describes his Towcester bumper winner, Laser Light, as ‘a very progressive individual’, and he narrowly headed Rolling Dylan (needs soft ground) at 3.05 in the BETDAQ orange this morning.
2.40 Bangor Kingy is also, literally, Wishing And Hoping for his own crack novice chaser from this big, rangy dual hurdles winner of this time last year.
Value at Risk was a stone better hurdler – Grade 2 winner at Fairyhouse – and he’s had plenty of experience at a high level over the minor obstacles but two things worry me with him.
The Bangor surface is described as ‘good’ but is so firm that they’ve been watering, and Value At Risk likes plenty of cut in the ground. Also, this is his second attempt at chasing.
After his fifth in the 2015 Albert Bartlett, Dan Skelton described him as ‘a very, very good horse.’ Super superlative.
But his fencing was far from superlative. He fell at Newbury on the debut last November; fell at Huntingdon at the turn of the year; and wasn’t seen chasing again until three weeks ago in a beginners’ heat at Uttoxeter; as you’d expect, not given a hard time.
Certainly didn’t look quite so headstrong but – he needs 2m 6f, says Skelton – today’s trip and ground is not ideal in a small field.
I shall bet that Alan King gets one of his two novices home, Laser Light or this one, at 3.5 on BETDAQ early mouse, as I write. Keep In Line (2.10) could also go well for Kiingy but it’s not an easy race.
3.35 Chepstow Thistlecrack threatens to be about 1-9 SP! I know many of you like to follow horses through thick and thin odds, sometimes for little return. The answer is to include them in your Daq Multiples, where even 10% leverage can be helpful, trebled up.
4.00 Catterick Back to the Flat, and an old-fashioned handicap with a range of 22lb can hopefully provide us with something better than 1-9 SP!
Card High’s bid for a Catterick hat-trick was foiled by soft ground on the last day, and he has something to find with Tamayuz Magic.
I fancy Michael’s Mount (6.34 offers), back in trip and back on turf. His last 1m 4f effort on grass, at Doncaster in July, was third to recent Town Moor scorer Cape Cova and Goodwood winner, Daphne. Both were stepping up to success in class 3.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked 1 to 9 for strength)
BET 8pts win (nap) LASER LIGHT (1.30 Chepstow), if lose 7pts win WISHING AND HOPING (2.40 Bangor) and 2pts win double the two.
BET 4pts win MICHAEL’S MOUNT (4.00 Catterick)
DAQ MULTIPLES: BET 3pts win treble Laser Light (1.30 Chepstow), Thistlecrack (3.35 Chepstow), St Malo (5.00 Newcastle)
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
